Sunday, 1 December 2013

Knitted Mini Christmas Trees

I've been looking for a suitable jumper in charity shops for ages now to chop up make a knitted Christmas tree. I'm still looking, none of our local shops have had anything I could use. So I thought maybe I could knit my own instead. I've made them quite little so they don't take too long to make.I've taken a load of photos as I go, especially of the cable bit, so if you can knit a bit but haven't tried cable before I think this would be a great starter project. Don't let the length of the pattern put you off, it's just long because I've written every row out. I thought it would be clearer when to decrease etc.

I'm not sure about the little one, I've not written that pattern up yet, I think it looks better in real life. I might try some buttons or beads to decorate and if I like it then I will post the pattern.* see below for details of the picture in the backgroundYou can make your trees bigger or smaller simply by changing the wool you use and the size of needle. The chunkier the wool - the bigger the needle - the bigger the tree - easy!Here the larger green tree is 18cm/7" tall and 8cm/3" across at the base, the cream one is 15.5cm/6" tall and 6cm/2.5" wide.There is a mixture of photos of the green tree and the cream one, the pattern is the same but the cable shows up better on the cream.First just the pattern for those who already know what they are doing:Knitted Cable Mini Christmas treeApprox 25g of wool (I know this is a terrible way to write a pattern but I was just using up oddments, a 25g ball would be plenty)My green wool was a thick DK(worsted) and I used 4mm needlesMy cream wool was also DK but was a bit thinner (go figure) and I used 3.25mm needlesYou also need a cable needle approx same size as your regular needle, some stuffing or wadding of some kind & a big sewing needlecast on 45 stitchesR1: p3 *k4 p3 rep from *R2: k3 *p4 k3 rep from *R3: rep R1R4: rep R2R5: p3 *c4f p3 rep from *R6: rep R2R7: rep R1R8: rep R2R9: rep R5R10: rep R2R11: p2tog p1 *k4 p2tog p1 rep from * (38sts)R12: k2 *p4 k2 rep from *R13: p2 *c4f p2 rep from *R14: rep R12R15: p2 *k4 p2 rep from *R16: rep R12R17: rep R13R18: rep R12R19: rep R15R20: rep R12R21: p2tog *c4f p2tog rep from * (31 sts)R22: k1 *p4 k1 rep from *R23: p1 *k4 p1 rep from *R24: rep R22R25: p1 *c4f p1 rep from *R26: rep R22R27: rep R23R28: rep R22R29: rep R25R30: rep R22R31: p1 *k1 k2tog k1 p1 rep from * (25 sts)R32: k1 * p3 k1 rep from *R33: p1 *c2f k1 p1 rep from *R34: k1 *p3 k1 rep from *R35: p1 * k3 p1 rep from *R36: rep R 34R37: p1 *slip 1 st to cable needle k2tog then knit st from cable needle p1 rep from * (19 sts)R38: k1 * p2 k1 rep from *R39: p1 * k2 p1 rep from *R40: rep R38R41: p1 *c2f p1 rep from *R42: rep R38R43: p1 *k2tog p1 rep from * (13 sts)R44: work k1 p1 rib starting with k1R45: work k1 p1 rib starting with p1 R46: rep R44R47: p1 * sl1 k1 psso rep from * (7 sts)Break off wool leaving about a 30cm tail. Thread a big old sewing needle and thread the tail though the remaining stitches and pull up tight.

Fold in half right sides together and slip stitch up the long side to form a coneTurn right side outStuff with wadding making sure to adjust as you go to get a nice even cone shape

* see below for details of the picture in the backgroundNow exactly the same pattern again with a bit more help:The black writing is the pattern same as above, the red is me leaning over your shoulder talking to you!cast on 45 stitchesR1: p3 *k4 p3 rep from *R2: k3 *p4 k3 rep from *R3: rep R1R4: rep R2

It should look like this, a sort of rib:

R5: p3 *c4f p3 rep from *

I'm showing you here in the middle of a row, just because it's easier to photograph. So you've done your 3 purl stitches, take the wool to the back ready for your knit stitch

c4f means cable 4 stitches to the front. Your little cable twist will be 4 stitches wide in total. Get your cable needle and slide it into the next 2 stitches.

Then slide these two stitches off the regular needle they were on. Now they are just on the cable needle. Bring them to the front

Next you are going to knit the next two stitches on your regular needle. This is a bit of a fiddle because the cable needle is kinda in your way

Now it should look like this:

Tuck your left regular needle out of the way for a minute and pull the cable needle across to the left. You are now going to knit those two stitches from the cable needle

You could just cut a circle of felt for the base if you prefer, or even crochet a little circle if that's your thing. My nan always crocheted anything that needed to be round, like the base of snowmen, hats for toys etc as she said crocheting round things is easy, whereas knitting round things is much more difficult.

*The Christmassy picture behind was one I printed from the lovely How to nest for less last year, it's in an old frame just covered with Washi tape, first red then green. It is still available for free download along with loads more lovely printables.

Our charming sons are not enamoured with the cream coloured tree, I was aiming for a country chic look and they advise it looks like a ice cream cone! Ah well, you can't please everyone!

Update: I've sewn a few buttons on, I found a button with a star for the top of this cream one which I'm not sure about.

The little one I quite like with it's tiny buttons, the top is a mini peg that already had a silver star on it, I just painted the star red with nail varnish.

21 comments:

Thanks Kathy, if you don't knit maybe you'll be more successful than me at finding an old cable jumper to cut up and make a tree from. I'm still keeping my eyes open so I can make something similar but a bit bigger.

*THANK YOU*!! -- Those are such GREAT Instructional Pics!Although I've been a Crocheter since FOREVER, I only started Knitting a couple of years ago and still can't "Pattern"-read in either! [I just go cross-eyed when reading them! My brain prefers "pictures" or graphs] - Meanwhile, I was "planning" on *teaching* myself how to do cables this year, but just never had a chance to get at it... THIS will be *quite* HELPFUL!! :-D

Thanks, good luck and I hope these pictures help. I can now picture you sitting in front of your pc, peering at the screen with your knitting on your lap!If you are going to learn to cable start with something with narrow cable like this, nothing too wide. If you are pulling more than a few stitches over it can be quite fiddly to get used to (keep this a secret but cable is actually really easy - much easier than anything with holes or lacey effect!)

I love this! I still remember knitting mini Christmas wreaths one year. I'm not sure if I still have the pattern.

I pinned your post on my Christmas board. I'd love for you to share it with my readers at my Motivation Monday linky party: http://www.alifeinbalance.net/motivation-monday-healthy-holiday-recipes-almost-no-desserts/

Awh, don't be scared, it's not difficult just a bit of a fiddle! Like I think I've already commented, just start with something where the twist is quite narrow (just a couple of stitches to pull across like this pattern) Once you have mastered it then all cable patterns are just variations on a theme. My Mum was an expert cable knitter, I have a few lovely things she knitted for me & the family to share.

It is always disappointing to try to find something that we are looking for, but then again it inspires us to create something unique and that is our own. Thanks you for linking your wonderful tutorial up to Inspiration in Progress.

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